At the end of overtime April 17, coach Brad Brunson and the Lady Cougars knew they had something special.
Durant’s flag football team had just come out on top of a clash of the titans, beating Bloomingdale by one point — 21-20. After the Lady Bulls whiffed on a two-point conversion, the pass sailing over the receiver, there was only one undefeated team left in the district: the 10-0 Lady Cougars.
Tonight, at home, the Lady Cougars will attempt to end the regular season without a loss for the first time in team history. They take on Hillsborough and plan to play as hard as they did against Bloomingdale, East Bay and everyone else they have faced this year.
A DIFFERENT TEAM
Looking at the team’s success, one can probably chalk it all up to selflessness across the board.
“I’ve coached here for seven years, and this is the first team I’ve had that wants the team to win, rather than go for personal glory,” Brunson says.
That’s not to say that there aren’t any stellar performers on the roster. Senior quarterback Jessica McClernan, a team captain, now owns a handful of school records. Chrissy Millard, the team’s pass rusher, has nearly doubled the school’s sack record — previously 15, now 27.
The entire team features good athletes and relies on its speed to make plays. Brunson believes this is the most physically gifted squad he’s coached in his time at Durant.
“I have the best girls from other sports,” Brunson says. “The best basketball player. Two of our best track girls. Two cheer captains. We kind of have the cream of the crop.”
Of the 14 players on varsity, only five had previous experience. They have learned flag football quickly, though.
“The idea of picking up new concepts was not foreign to them,” Brunson says. “And the girls who had played before were able to help me teach them, coach them up. Some of the new girls have been great players, even leaders.”
SUPER BOWL SHUFFLE
Along with a large group of new players, Durant also found itself in a different district this season. The Lady Cougars had previously made a habit of making the playoffs every year — winning their only title in the program’s inaugural 2007 year — and eventually losing to Plant City.
“Now, this is the first year we don’t play each other,” Brunson says. “We play Hillsborough, Strawberry Crest and Brandon, but we don’t play Plant City — the closest school to us. It’s a competition we’ve always looked forward to.”
Based on the current seeding, Durant likely won’t play the Lady Raiders at all this postseason. Although they won’t be able to get revenge in the playoffs, the Lady Cougars at least know that they were able to take down a different district juggernaut.
The queens of this district were, for a while, the ladies of East Bay High School. The Lady Indians also had a win streak of their own against Durant, winning six in a row. But that streak came to an end in Week 2, when Durant won, 18-16.
“When we beat them, we knew that we were a good team and we could contend as one of the better teams in the district,” Brunson says.
REGULAR SEASON FINALE
Most of Durant’s opponents had a harder time trying to pull out a win. Before Thursday, the defense was only giving up an average of two points per game. That’s probably not what its next opponents, the Hillsborough Lady Terriers, want to hear.
Especially because it will be Durant’s Senior Night. In addition to the season finale and senior send-off story lines, there’s also some more history at stake: McClernan has a chance to pencil her name in the record books again.
“I’m trying to break the passing touchdowns record,” she says. “It’s 28 to tie the school record — I need five to tie, one more after that to break it. It’s going to be close, honestly.”
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
IF YOU GO
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, April 24
WHERE: Durant High School, 4748 Cougar Path, Plant City
DETAILS: In addition to the football action against Hillsborough High School, the team’s outgoing seniors will be honored in a Senior Night ceremony at halftime.